Acetylene generator



Filed Feb. 27, 19-39 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fla! - ZI-VVENTOR ELMEE flfM/TH Sept. 9, 1941. E. H. SMITH 2,255,536

ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Feb. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f N VEN TOR EL. MEI? It J'M/ TH ATTo/eNE Sept. 9, 1941. E. H. SMITH ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Feb. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ELMEE $577 2 VMVM WW A A T-oeNEYs' Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- I ACETYLENE GENERATOR Elmer H. Smith, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Smith Welding Equipment Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application February 27, 1939, Serial No. 258,769

'1 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful im' provements in generators, and more particularly to the means for feeding or precipitating the car bide into the water in the generator.

Acetylene generators, as is well known, comprise a carbide hopper having a discharge opening in its lower portion through which the carbide is fedto the gas generating chamber. The carbide being of granular consistency, or in the form of small lumps or particles, has a tendency to bridge over the discharge opening of the hopper and cause uneven feeding thereonwhen the valve which normally closes said opening is open.

Such bridging of the carbide over the discharge opening of the hopper may be prevented by agi-' tating the valve so as to dislodge the carbide particles tending to bridge over the discharge open- Numerous mechanisms have heretofore been devised to agitate or relatively move the valve with respect to the discharge opening, to prevent such bridging of the carbide. Some of these mechanisms have been more or less practical in operation, but have not been positive in operation. Others have been too expensive in 'construction.

The novel valve-agitating means herein disclosed, has proven very practical and positive in operation. Its operation is controlled by the flow of gas from the gas generating chamber to the gas storage chamber of the generator,-whereby when gas is passing from the gas generating chamber to the gas storage chamber, said device is actuated to cause the valve to be agitated whereby it will dislodge any particles of carbide tending to bridge over the discharge opening of the hopper bottom.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the construction of a novel carbide leeding mechanism comprising a rotary member for imparting relative movement to the carbide control valve, and. which rotary member is actuated by the passage of the gas from the gas generating chamber to the gas storage chamber.

A further object is to provide a generator comprising a casing adapted to contain water and having an inner casing member secured to and suspended from the upper wall thereof and spaced from the main casing wall to provide an annular chamber between said inner and outer casing members, and a carbide hopper being mounted on the upper wall of the generator in communication with the gas generating chamber defined by the inner casing member, said hopper having'a valve for controlling the feeding of carbide from the hopper to the gas generating chamber, and

a rotary member being mounted within the generator and having a plurality of pockets in its periphery adapted to receive gas passing from the gas generating chamber to the storage chamber, whereby the gas will impart rotary movement to said member and thereby agitate the carbide control valve, which is operatively connected to said member.

A further object is to provide a generator comprising a gas generating chamber and a gas storwhereby the buoyancy of the gas will impart ro-' tary movement to said member, and said member being adapted to operate a rod having a connection with the carbide control valve, whereby when the rotary member is rotated, said rod will agitate the valve, thereby preventing the carbide from bridging over the discharge opening of the hopper, when the valve is open.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel construction of the valve agitating means,

the operation of which is controlled entirely by the flow of gas from the gas generating chamber to the gas storage chamber; in the novel construction of the connecting means between the carbide control valve'and the rotary member; in the construction and mounting of the rotary member, which is such that said member will require no attention on the part of the operator, and whereby it is positive in operation, and will impart sufiicient movement to the carbide control valve to positively prevent bridging of the carbide in the discharge opening of the hopper, thereby to provide a more uniform flow of the carbide from the gas generating chamber to the storage chamber, when the control valve is open; and,-in the construction of such a generator wherein the carbide hopper, including the carbide feed valve and the means for controlling said valve, may be removed from the generator as a unit.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not tonflned to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow. V

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a genorator, showing the invention embodied theredisclosure, an acetylene generator comprising a casing 2 having a bottom wall 3 and top wall 4';"-The casing 2 is'adapted to contain a quantity of water, as is customary in carbide generators.

An inner casing or wall member 5 is shown secured to the top wall 4 of the generator and depends therefrom with its wall spaced inwardly from the outer casing wall 3 to provide an annular space or chamber 6, the bottom of which is defined by the water lever i. To simplify the' description of the apparatus, the annular space 5' will hereinafter be referred to as the gas storage or receiving chamber 5, and the chamber within the wall member 5, as the gas generating chamber 8, The bottom of the latter chamber is defined by the water level 9.

A carbide hopper, generally indicated by the numeral ii, is provided on top of the generator, and has a hopper bottom 12 provided with a discharge opening IS. The hopper discharge opening l3 communicates with the gas generating chamber 8 through a tubular member l4, shown mounted within a relatively larger tubular member l5, received in an opening l5 provided in the top wall 4 of the generator. The tubular members i4 and I5 are secured together in spaced relation by a suitable plate 11, which preferably is welded to said members. The up per end of the inner member i4 is preferably suitably secured to a ring-like member ill, by such means as welding, which member has oppositely disposed lugs i5 adapted for interlocking engagement with lugs 2| provided on a hopper base 22, secured to the bottom of the hopper, as shown at 23. The ring-like member |8 forms the hopper discharge opening IS. The hopper base is provided with radial arms 25 adapted to be engaged with studs 26, thereby to, secure the hopper in position on the top wall 4 of the generator. A suitable rubber gasket 27 is supported on a seat 28 formed on the top wall 4 of the generator, and the upper portion of the gasket 21 is adapted to be engaged by an annular flange 29 of the hopper base 22, whereby the hopper may be secured to the top wall 4 of the generator in leak-proof relation.

A suitable valve 3| is shown secured to the upper end of a tubular member or sleeve 32, having its lower end outwardly flared, as shown at 3 3. The lower end of a r0d34 is received in the upper end of the sleeve 32, and said rod valve 3|; A suitable coiled spring 25 is coiled about the rod within the sleeve 32 and has one end seated against the bottom face ofthe valve and its opposite end against a head 31 provided on the lower end of the rod 34. A pin 38 is secured in the wall of the sleeve 32 to limit downward movement of the rod 34 within the sleeve 22. The largest diameter of the valve 3| is slightly less than the opening of the valve I! in the member l8, whereby the valve 3| may pass into the discharge opening II, as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 5.

The upper end of the rod 24 has a ball 4| secured thereto, which is supported within a recess 42 provided in a head 43 secured to a diaphragm 44. A nut,45 is received in threaded engagem'ent with the head 43 to inseparably secure the rod 24 to said head; The diaphragm is shown having its marginal edge clamped between the upper horizontal edge portion of the carbide hopper H and a hood 39,- by suitable bolts 46. A

compression spring 41 is mounted within the ed socket 54 at its upper and adapted to receive the threaded terminal 55 of an adjusting wheel 58, having a hub received in a suitable counterbore 51 provided in the nut 5i. The adjusting wheel 56 provides means whereby the valv 3| may be moved into closed position, as shown in Figure 5, to prevent feeding of the carbide from the hopper l.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the novel means provided for agitating the valve 3| to provide a more uniform flow of carbide from the hopper I through the discharge opening I3 to the gas generating.

chamber 8.

The means, provided for thus agitating the valve 3| comprises a rod 58, the upper end of which is shown received in the lower flared end of the tubular member 32 of the valve, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. The lower end of the rod 58 is secured to a rock shaft 59, shown supported in suitable hangers 6| and 62 secured to the inner casing member 5. Suitable collars 63 are secured to the 'shaft 59 to prevent axial movement thereof.

One end of the rock shaft 59 is shown provided with an upstanding arm 64 having a head 7 65 provided with inwardly directed terminals 50,

passes through an opening 35 provided in the which cooperate with a star wheel 68 to provide an escapement, as best shown in Figure 2. The star wheel 66 is secured to a shaft 61 of a suitable rotor, generally indicated by the numeral 68. The shaft 61 has one end sup-ported in a bearing provided in the offset wall portion 69 of the inner casing member 5, and its opposite end in the lower end of a hanger H, secured to the upper portion of the casing 5. Asuitable brace 12 has its end portions suitably secured to the wall of the casing 5, as shown at 13 in Figure 2, and its intermediate portion is secured to the hanger II, as shown at 14 in Figure 2.

The rotor 58 has a plurality of pockets [5 in its periphery adapted to receive gas from a small inverted ,V-shaped duct 16 secured to the lower pressure of the gas in the generating chamber 8 forces the level of the water downwardly to a point below the uppermost portion of the V- shaped duct 16, gas will flow from the gas generating chamber8 through the duct 18 and into one of the pockets of the rotor, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The buoyancy of the gas, when .thus entering the pockets in the rotor to one side of the center of the shaft 81, will impart a rotary movement to the rotorin the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. Such rotary movement of the rotor will impart a similar motion to the star wheel 66, whereupon the terminals 60 of the arms of the head 65 will follow the contour of the teeth of the star wheel, as in being received in theilower end of the tubular member 32 of the valve, will agitate the valve 3| to cause the carbide to feed more uniformly from the carbide hopper into the gas generating chamber 8. Such agitation of the valve 3| will also prevent the carbide from bridging over the discharge opening l3 of the hopper.

To operate the apparatus, the carbide hopper is removed from the generator by loosening the nuts of the studs 26, whereby the hopper, including the tubular members l4 and I5, may be removed as a unit from the generator. The tubular members it and I5 are then removed from the hopper base 32 in the usual manner, and after the hopper is filled with carbid e, the tubular members It and I5 are replaced in the hopper base, and the entire hopper may then be secured to the top of the generator, as shown in Figure 1.

When the carbide hopper has thus been replaced on the generator, the hand wheel 55 is rotated in a direction to cause the spring 49 to force the diaphragm 44 downwardly to substantially the position shown in Figure 1, wherein the valve 3| is moved downwardly to open position, as shown in Figure 4. As the carbide is precipitated into the water in the gas. chamber 8, gas is generated and rises into said chamber and eventually forces the water level therein downwardly to substantially the level shown at 9 in Figure 1, whereby the gas in the chamber 8 will escape therefrom into the pockets 'of the rotor and upwardly into the gas storage chamber 6. As the gas enters the pockets of the rotor 68, the buoyancy thereof will impart rotary movement to the rotor, whereby the valve 3| is agitated because of its connection with the rotor through the arm 64, shaft 59, and rod 58.

When the pressure in the gas generating chamber 8 reaches a predetermined figure, the diaphragm 44 is forced upwardly against the tension of the spring 41, thereby closing the valve 3| and interrupting-further flow of carbide from the hopper into the gas generating chamber. It is to be understood that the gas pressure in the hopper is equal to the pressure in the gas generating chamber 8, because the hopper is in direct communication with the gas generating chamber through the spaces between the carbide particles in the hopper When feeding of carbide into the gas generating chamber is interrupted, as above stated, the rotor 88 may cease to rotate, because the level of the water in the gas generating chamber 8 may then rise above the V-shaped duct 16, and

thereby shut off the flow of gas from the chamber 810 the gas storage chamber 8. Ar. gas is drawn from the gas storage chamber 6 through the service line or take-off 11, shown in Figure 1, the pressure in the gas storage chamber 6 decreases, whereby gas may again be forced from the chamber 8 into the chamber 8 through the duct 18. Such flow of gas from the chamber 8 to the chamber 6 will release the pressure in the chamber 8, whereby the spring 41 will force the diaphragm 44 downwardly to open the valve 3|. At substantially .the same time, the rotor 68 may commence to rotate because of gas entering the pockets I5 thereof, from the duct 18, as shown in Figure 2, whereby the valve 3| is agitated to provide a uniform flow of carbide from the hopper II .to the gas generating chamber. It will thus be seen that the operation of the apparatus is entirely automatic and when no gas is being drawn from the service line or gas take-off 11, the valve 3| may eventually close, whereby all movable parts will come to rest, in which condition they will remain until gas is again drawn from the service line 11.

In an ordinary generator, the space between the carbide feeding means or control valve 3|, as shown in Figure 1, and the water level 9, is usually about 10 inches, which is the minimum requirement by the Underwriters Laboratories. If this distance is increased, the gas storage space between the carbide feed valve is correspondingly increased. This is objectionable, because when the generator is initially charged with water, some air is entrained with the water, and when the capacity of the chamber 8 between the carbide feed valve and the water level I, is relatively large, a longer time is required to clean or purge said chamber of the air entrained with the water. On the other hand, the distance between the carbide feed valve and the water level 9 should be sufficient to prevent the water from splashing against the parts of the feed valve, when the carbide strikes the surface of the water in the bottom of the chamber 8.

I accomplish this desirable feature in the structure herein disclosed because of the novel construction and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus. By reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that when the generator is initially started, carbide is precipitated into the water in the chamber 8, whereby gas is immediately generated in said chamber. The pressure of the gas thus generated, forces the water level 9 downwardly until it reaches substantially the level shown in .through the duct 18.

The means provided for agitating the carbide control valve 3| is very simple in constructign and has been found very efficient in practical operation. The agitation of the valve 3| is controlled entirely by the flow of gas from the gas generating chamber 8 to the gas storage chamber 6', through the duct 16.

The length of the rod 58 is such that when the sleeve 32 of thevalve 3| is in its uppermost position, as when the valve 3| is closed, as shown in Figure 5, the lower flared end of the tube 32 will be so positioned with respect to the upper end of the rod 58, that the rod may oscillate without imparting lateral movement to the valve 3|, as shown vby the .dotted lines in Figure 5. The lower flared end of the sleeve 32 facilitates "mounting the carbide hopper upon the generator in that it guides the upper end of the rod 58 into the sleeve 12, as will readiJy be understood by reference to Figures 4 and 5. Generators of this general type are sometimes provided with agitating means in the lower portion thereof, but as this mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it has been omitted from the drawings.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a generator of the class described, a casing having .water therein, a wall member within said casing and spaced from the casing wall and having an open end sealed by the water in the generator, said inner wall member defining a gas generating chamber and cooperating with the wall of the casing to provide a gas storage chamber which surrounds the gas generating chamber, a carbide hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the gas generating chamber, a valve for controlling the flow of carbide through said opening, a rock shaft within the generator, 8. rod secured to said shaft and engaged with the valve, a rotor, an escapement connecting the rotor to the rock shaft, and a duct in the lower portion of the gas generating chamber through which the gas must pass from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, the gas flowing through said duct being received. in pockets provided in the periphery of the rotor, whereby the rotor is rotated to actuate the escapement and rock said shaft and thereby cause the rod to agitate the valve, when the latter is open.

2. In a generator of the class described. 8. casing comprising an upper wall and having water in the lower portion thereof, a wall member secured to and depending from said uppr wall and spaced from the casing wall, said inner wall member defining a gas generating chamber and cooperating with the casing wall to provide a gas storage chamber which surrounds the gas generating chamber, the level of the water in said chambers defining the bottoms thereof, a carbide hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the gas generating chamber, a valve for said opening, a duct in the lower portion of the inner wall member for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, and means for agitating the valve, when the valve is open and gas is flowing from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, said valve-agitating means comprising an escapement having an operative connection with the valve, and a rotor having pockets in its periphery adapted to receive the gas flowing from the generating chamber to. the storage chamber, whereby the rotor is rotated to actuate the escapement which, in-turn, efiects a lateral movement to the valve to prevent bridging of the carbide in the discharge opening of the hopper, when the valve is open.

3. In a generator of the class described, a casing having wall means therein defining a gas chamber, said means comprisin an escapement having a rod received in the lower end of the generating chamber and cooperating with the tubular valve member, and a rotor for operating said escapement, said rotor being mounted between said wall means and the casing wall and adapted to be rotated by the flow of gas from the generating chamber to the storage chamber.

4. In an acetylene generator, a casing having a water chamber therein, a carbide hopper having a discharge opening in communication with the water chamber, a pressure-operated valve for controlling the flow oi carbide through said discharge opening, andmeans for agitating said valve comprising a gas-operated rotor having an escapement mechanism operatively connecting it to said valve, whereby when said gas is flowing from the generator, said valve is agitated to provide a more uniform flow of carbide from the hopper to the water chamber.

5. In an acetylene generator, a casing having water therein, means within the casing defining a gas generating chamber and a gas storage chamber, the bottoms of said chambers being sealed by said water, a carbide hopper in communication with the gas generating chamber and having a discharge opening, a valve for controlling the flow of carbide through said opening, means responsive to variations in the pressure in the generating chamber to control the operation of the valve, a duct for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, and means for agitating the valve to prevent bridging of the carbide in the discharge opening of the hopper, when the valve is open, said valve-agitating means including a rotor having pockets in its periphery arranged to receive the gas flowing from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, and whereby the buoyancy of the gas will rotate the rotor and actuate said agitating means, said hopper control valve and pressureresponsive means being assembled as a unit independently of the generator and having means for detachably supporting it on the generator casing.

6. In a generator or the class described, a casing having water therein, a wall member within the casing and spaced from the casing wall and having an open end sealed by the water in the generator, said inner wall member defining a gas generating chamber and cooperating with a wall of the casing to provide a gas storage chamber which surrounds the gas generating chamber, a carbide hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the gas generating chamber, a carbide feeding mechanism including a rotor, a duct in the lower portion oi. the gas generating chamber through which the gas must flow from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, the gas flowing through said duct being received in pockets provided in the periphery of the rotor,

whereby the rotor is rotated to operate the carbide feeding mechanism, and a pressure responsive device having an operative connection with the carbide feeding mechanism and exposed to the pressure in the generating chamber, whereby when the gas in the generating chamber reaches a predetermined pressure, said device is rendered operable to interrupt operation of the carbide feeding mechanism.

7. Ina generator of the class described, a casing having water therein, wall means in said chamber defining a gas generating chamber and cooperating with the casing wall to provide a as storage chamber, the bottoms oi. said chambers being defined by the levels of the water in the respective chambers, a, carbide hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the gas generating chamber, a carbide feeding mechanism including a rotor, a duct in the lower portion of the gas generating chamber through which the gas must flow from the generating chamber to the storage chamber, the gas flowing from said duct being receivedin pockets provided in the periphery of the rotor, wherebythe rotor 1 is driven by the differential in pressure of the gas 10 I ELMER H. SMITH. 

